Converus Responds to Local TV News Report
On Dec. 10, 2024, Salt Lake City-based KSL-TV aired an investigative report on the “next-generation” lie detection technology EyeDetect by Converus. To read the KSL story, click here.
On Dec. 10, KSL-TV ran an investigative report on the EyeDetect lie detection technology. Converus issued a statement to make sure viewers had the whole truth.
LEHI, Utah – Dec. 10, 2024 – Utah-based tech company Converus has been validating truth with its advanced lie detection technologies since 2014. Its flagship product EyeDetect — now used by more than 600 customers worldwide — is the first ocular-motor credibility assessment tool scientifically validated to detect deception by measuring changes to involuntary eye behavior.
This evening, Salt Lake City-based KSL-TV aired a segment titled “KSL Investigates: Looking for Lies.” In it, Investigative Journalist Daniella Rivera asks the question if EyeDetect test results should be used as evidence in a court of law.
“For more than a decade our job has been to validate truth and expose lies,” said Converus President and CEO Todd Mickelsen. “While we greatly appreciate KSL-TV sharing the story about our advanced EyeDetect lie detection technology, viewers would be well served to understand a few more details.”
To help clarify KSL-TV’s segment, Converus issued the following statement:
There are three things to consider when analyzing the conclusions made in this investigative report:
First, Converus has never advocated for using EyeDetect test results alone as evidence in court cases. Instead, the best choice is to combine EyeDetect test results with polygraph. Statistical models show the probability of a person passing both tests is 98-99%. These results provide another data point to consider in legal proceedings.
Second, given this 98-99% probability of a truthful outcome, this combination of tests can exceed the average accuracy rates of other tests currently accepted as evidence in court cases, namely:
- Urine tests for drug use: 85-95%
- Hair analysis tests for drug use: 80-95%
- Breathalyzer tests for alcohol use: 95-98%
Lastly, the KSL reporter “teased” her segment in a promo by asking, “Can a KSL investigator beat the test?” The reporter was given a “number” demo test when she visited the Converus office on Oct. 3. This is a brief demo test designed to show that the eye tracking device can recognize pupil dilation changes when a person writes down a number, conceals it, and then lies about writing down the number.
In the reporter’s case, she chose and wrote down the number 8, but confessed that she focused her thoughts on the number 7. This fact indicates she did not comply with the instructions given—which were to only lie about the number she had chosen. Despite being noncompliant with the demo test instructions, the difference between the number shown in the 1st position (number 7, which the reporter focused on) and the number in the 2nd position (number 8, which the reporter chose and wrote down) was 0.08 millimeters. This difference falls within the margin of error of the Tobii 5L eye tracker used (+/- 0.1 millimeters) to measure pupil dilation changes. This indicates a correct result.
In Converus’ opinion, the “number” demo test was successful. It indicates that deception causes involuntary changes in pupil dilation. Others have tried the same deceptive strategy as the reporter, and the eye tracker yields similar results. The numbers on which the person focuses are shown to have the most significant pupil dilation.
“EyeDetect is the first breakthrough in accurately exposing lies since the polygraph was invented over 100 years ago,” said Mickelsen. “There are 21 scientific articles published, of which 12 are peer-reviewed. This clearly indicates the technology works.”
More than 100 U.S. law enforcement agencies currently use EyeDetect to screen job applicants for issues that would disqualify them from working for the organization — such as serious crimes, drug use, terrorism, and other criminal or unethical behaviors. Mickelsen says EyeDetect helps law enforcement agencies put better people in uniform for a fraction of the cost of other screening methods.
For more information, visit: converus.com
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About Converus®
Converus provides scientifically validated credibility assessment technologies. VerifEye® is the world’s first mobile app to help organizations or individuals accurately verify the truth about a person — including background, identity, creditworthiness and claims — in about 10 minutes. EyeDetect®, which detects deception by measuring involuntary eye behavior, is a fast, accurate, affordable, noncontact, scalable, and fully automated option to polygraph. EyeDetect+ is the world’s first automated polygraph, making the testing process impartial, accurate, and less intrusive (than a traditional polygraph). It assesses credibility by monitoring and recording ocular activity plus physiological activity similar to a traditional polygraph. Customers worldwide use the EyeDetect product line for screening and investigations to help protect countries, corporations and communities from corruption, crime and threats. Converus is headquartered in Lehi, Utah, USA. Visit converus.com
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Press Contact: Jeff Pizzino, APR
